Sunday, 1 November 2015

Mainstream

This morning's Broadcasting House, with Carrie guest-presenting and Corrie reading the news, returned to a topic we've been hearing about more and more recently, however much we might not want to.

Here's Carrie Gracie, justifying the following report in advance:

Now, what gender are you this morning? Perhaps you think that's a stupid question, or perhaps you're on a journey from one gender to another. Whatever the answer, transgender is now a mainstream question.

So there you have it, whether you like it or not: transgender is now a mainstream topic, according to Carrie.

And I have a very strong feeling that we are going to find it increasingly hard to avoid it on the BBC over the coming months and years.

On this morning's BH, Carrie continued:

Whatever the confusion elsewhere in society [is there much, outside the usual bubble?] transgender people themselves are becoming more confident and taking control of their own stories on film and on TV.

A report from Dan [soon to be Daniella?] Damon followed. It featured trans actors and various producers and lots of new language: "non-binary", "gender-queer" and "gender-fluid", for example.

We learned about the BBC's role in all this:

The breakthrough moment for TV came recently with the first mainstream transgender comedy, Boy Meets Girl on BBC Two.

And Eastenders is introducing a transgender actor into their show too.

Dan ended, however, will a couple of questions and a comment:

Will transgender actors be able to play any part without comment? Could gender become a post-modern concept? Well, for now that might be too dramatic, even for liberal minds.

...and there are a lot of those at the BBC.

Silly as it may sound, I really don't think it will be too long before Radio 4's Sunday starts regularly including calls from campaigners for transgender Christians to be allowed to become priests, and then - give it a few years - bishops. It's bound to happen.

(The very idea of clergymen wearing frocks! Perish the thought!)

Justine?

And now I will shut up on the subject (you'll doubtless be very glad to hear).